Lexus GX 460: The Dying Art of Controlling a Skid

One thing the drama over the the skidding Lexus GX 460 shows is how stability control, the electronic system that helps keep cars from skidding, has changed the way we drive. It also shows how much we expect of our cars and how little we demand of ourselves as drivers.

It happened quickly. A decade ago stability control was in its infancy. Only a few safety-obsessed car makers offered it, and even then it was only on certain models, usually at the high end of the price range. Now it is simply a fact of automotive life. Vehicles must have it in order to receive top safety ratings and car shoppers pore over vehicle brochures and owner’s manuals to make sure they have it. ESC has become almost as mainstream as the safety belt. But is itreally more like a safety net — helping us out of jams that we could have avoided with a little caution and forethought?